Long - The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

Yesterday, I noticed the weekend weather forecast didn't look all that great - especially if you were planning on running long on Saturday and then adding 10 on Sunday.  I don't mind running in lots of stuff, but I'm not a fan of rain when it's 35-45 degrees out.  I decided that I'd give up my scheduled day off and run long today.  Then I could still go to Bradbury for my 10 on Saturday (10 miles is doable no matter the weather....and Saturday was supposed to have a slighter chance of rain and then not very much).

This morning, when I saw a better-looking,updated forecast for the weekend, I couldn't decide when to run long.  It really helps to have people to run with, making me think Saturday at the Brad...but, I had geared myself up to do it today AND, though cold, it was a beautiful day.  When I brought Sam back from Bates, I took the dog for a walk.  If I liked the condition of the trail, I'd get out there today.  Spot found our driveway treacherous, but we both thought the snowmobile trail was good.  That settled it.

It was just after 1 pm when I finally got out the door.  The bright sunshine didn't quite negate the effects of the brisk wind.  I was very happy to have put on that vest at the last second.  I was surprised to find the trail wasn't as good as when Spot and I was on it.  It was still runnable, but more sugary.  Damn.  Sleds had been through.  I thought that I would have the trails to myself since kids were still in school and it was "normal" work hours.  Oh well, I wasn't changing my mind.

I ran out north towards Crowley Rd (out the snowmobile trail that led to the first turn-around point in the fat ass).  I turned around 1/4 mile after crossing Crowley, just after seeing a snowmobile pop a wheelie (or should that be a "beltie"?).  I retraced my path, then headed to the hill across King Rd.  At the top of the hill, the Garmin said I'd gone 5 miles.  I got a little more eager going this direction because I was headed towards uncharted territory.  I would be going further than I had on Wednesday.

After another mile or so, the trail started being less sugary.  I think our little stretch of trail is in between two snowmobile clubs' areas.  They get groomed much less than the other parts.  Over the next couple miles, I started a few roughed grouse.  It always makes me think of the TMs who were "attacked" by a grouse on a run in Acadia.  I'd have loved to have seen that.

In addition to the grouse, I saw fisher tracks, coyote tracks, and a big hawk (I believe it was a red-tailed hawk, but didn't see it clearly enough to say for sure).  On the way back, there was a shredded bird.  I suspect the hawk was the guilty party.

I totally enjoyed the new (to me) trail.  It wound through beautiful woods.  It was also the best footing, definitely impacting my feeling for the path.  Heading back, I had the wind with me.  Nice.  I'm a little sad I didn't try this before.  I always turned back about 1.4 miles after crossing King Rd.  The trail goes practically (in a .3 mile stretch) in 4 back yards.  I felt weird about going that close to peoples' homes.  Plus, since these house are way back from the road, I worried about dogs.  The first time I made myself go by, I noted that there were no dog tracks at all.  I'm sure if they had dogs that were allowed loose, I'd have seen evidence.  Besides those houses, I was in fields or woods, no where near homes.  Pretty good for 16 miles!  The trail actually kept going.  I have more to explore.  I really hope we don't get so much rain that it ruins the trails.  I wonder if I could run all the way to Team Snowplug basically off-road.

I averaged right about 11 min/mile for 16.05 miles.  Nothing hurt.  It was a very hard effort, but still fun.